Whos the best #2 picks

[trahans99]

Who would be the better prospect of being selected #2 overall...................Malkin or Heatley or Spezza?????

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[Legionnaire]

Heatley. Stupid Milbury.

 

[trahans99]

Right now I would have to say Heatley too, I think this guy will be the next superstar of the league, but Spezza should become one of the top play makers in the game and Malkin well I am not too sure of thats why I am asking. In the long run who will be the best player??

 

[Legionnaire]

Right now I would have to say Heatley too, I think this guy will be the next superstar of the league, but Spezza should become one of the top play makers in the game and Malkin well I am not too sure of thats why I am asking. In the long run who will be the best player??

That's pretty much what I was thinking as well. Spezza-great player not the greatest of skaters though. Malking-great player.....but his concussion worries me.

 

[eddy]

I'd say Heatley i'm a a big fan of his. I remeber wacthing that draft and I said If I was Milbury I'd take Heatley over Dieptro in a second but he didn't. Diepetro's gonna be a good goalie don't get me worng but Heatly i'd say would have been more worth it.

 

[montreal]

Heatley all the way, what a great player.

 

[Epsilon]

Right now, certainly Heatley. Spezza and Malkin both have the potential to rival him though.

Kari Lehtonen is going to end up being the best #2 pick of the last decade (i.e. since Chris Pronger).

 

[Teemu]

Heatley

 

[West]

That's pretty much what I was thinking as well. Spezza-great player not the greatest of skaters though. Malking-great player.....but his concussion worries me.

I think John Madden of Jersry said it best "Whoever did the scouting report on Spezza saying he isn't a good skater goofed" 2002 play-offs.

He just never moved his feet while he had the puck in junior and got a reputation as a slow player because of it.

 

[Vagrant]

No love for Eric Staal once again! I'd take him before Spezza and Malkin, but perhaps i'm a bit of a homer. Heatley and Lehtonen before Staal though, for sure.

 

[CapitalPunishment]

No love for Eric Staal once again! I'd take him before Spezza and Malkin, but perhaps i'm a bit of a homer. Heatley and Lehtonen before Staal though, for sure.

i'd take staal over spezza but probably not malkin

i can see staal putting up 40 goals in a couple of seasons, maybe 3.

 

[Teezax]

I remember when Alex Daigle got drafter 1st overall and he was quoted as saying, "I'm happy I was chosen first, no one remembers who goes 2nd." And in that year it just happened to be a guy named Chris Pronger. Oh sweet irony!

 

[CapitalPunishment]

I remember when Alex Daigle got drafter 1st overall and he was quoted as saying, "I'm happy I was chosen first, no one remembers who goes 2nd." And in that year it just happened to be a guy named Chris Pronger. Oh sweet irony!

haha! :lol

 

[trahans99]

I forgot about Lehtonen and Staal. I would still pick them behind Heatley.

If they were all in same draft (Heatley, Spezza, Staal, Lehtonen and Malkin)

Heatley
Lehtonen
Spezza
Malkin or Staal - I donºt know who

 

[Scottkmlps]

I'd say Heatley i'm a a big fan of his. I remeber wacthing that draft and I said If I was Milbury I'd take Heatley over Dieptro in a second but he didn't. Diepetro's gonna be a good goalie don't get me worng but Heatly i'd say would have been more worth it.

Yeah, that dumbass Milbury could've selected Heatley and just kept Loungo.

 

[Quiksilver*]

I'd have a tough time choosing between Heatly and Lehtonen. Heatly has had an impact quickly but I think Kari will be an elite goaltender for a long time. I still think I would pick Spezza over Stall, I think Jason is going to put up some great numbers in his career, but I also think Stall is the better two way forward. Malkin, I hate to admit I just simply don't know enough about.

So I would have it:
Heatly
Lehtonen
Spezza
Malkin - Simply based on what I've heard
Stall - This is by no means a slight against Eric, I think he is going to have a great NHL career, just one that wont be "noticed" as much as the others maybe...

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

I think Spezza and Lehtonen have the highest upsides and at least one of the two will be much superior to Heatley when all is said and done.

Staal seems a slight notch under these three.

Malkin I have not seen enough. But I'm sure there's a Joe-fan located in Missouri or Mexico and incapable of judging NHL players who will gladly offer me an accurate scouting report on this Russian player.

If we go farther in time, there's Pronger. Now that one is really kicking ass in retrospect but he is from 93, not comparable to youngsters.

 

[Fighter]

No love for Eric Staal once again! I'd take him before Spezza and Malkin, but perhaps i'm a bit of a homer. Heatley and Lehtonen before Staal though, for sure.

No, you're not a homer. I'm huge fan of Staal too and feel he will turn in a great player.
No question that right now Heatley and Lehtonen are better but he's right there with both Malkin and Spezza IMO

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

That's pretty much what I was thinking as well. Spezza-great player not the greatest of skaters though. Malking-great player.....but his concussion worries me.

Spezza is a very good skater. When will the myth about poor skating go away?

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Spezza is a very good skater. When will the myth about poor skating go away?

NHL-wise, I'd label him a very average skater. I agree that he is not as poor as people make him out to be but that remains one of his weakest areas.

 

[Vagrant]

Spezza skates ugly. That's not always the same as skating poorly, but it can offen be misconcieved that way due to the fact that it's not a very pretty style. Spezza's skating is serviceable and slightly above average. However, compared to other stars in the league his skating pales in comparison. It's ugly, but it usually gets the job done. The reason I say slightly above average is due to the fact that there are a lot more Marek Maliks' in the league than Mike Modanos'.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Spezza skates ugly. That's not always the same as skating poorly, but it can offen be misconcieved that way due to the fact that it's not a very pretty style. Spezza's skating is serviceable and slightly above average. However, compared to other stars in the league his skating pales in comparison. It's ugly, but it usually gets the job done. The reason I say slightly above average is due to the fact that there are a lot more Marek Maliks' in the league than Mike Modanos'.

I can see how someone could say above average. It's pretty subjective. Personally, he is quick enough once he gets going. But it's not easy enough for him to do so.

Where I disagree is if people are going to say he is very good. That to me is another category of skaters.

Really, it doesn't matter because I like Spezza fine as he is. He makes up for it in many ways.

 

[Egghammer]

Heatley in a heartbeat

 

[dumpnchase]

Yeah, that dumbass Milbury could've selected Heatley and just kept Loungo.

But then he wouldn't be Mad Mike!

 

[Legionnaire]

Thank you to Vlad for expressing my viewpoint.